Albanian Parliament fails to elect the new president in second round

Publikuar | 14:23
21/04/2017

Albanian Parliament failed to elect the new president of the country as no candidate was nominated in the first two rounds, held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Albanian ruling coalition, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration did not nominate anyone for the post, saying they aimed to reach a consensual name with the opposition. But the Democratic Party led opposition seems determined to boycott the presidential vote.

They are protesting in the boulevard in front of the prime ministry since February 18, requesting Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation in favor of a caretaker government to take the country to the general elections, scheduled for June 18.

Opposition leader, Lulzim Basha says that only a caretaker cabinet could be a guarantor for free and fair elections.

A candidate to run for Albanian presidency needs to be backed by at least 20 MPs in 140-seated parliament. In the first two rounds the President is elected with 3/5 of all MPs, while in the third round the President is elected by a simple majority.

If no candidate succeeds to be elected in all five rounds, the country heads early elections.

The President in Albanian has a largely ceremonial role. The third round of the vote is scheduled to be held on April 27./tvklan.al